American Council for Judaism Granted Charter for Philanthropic Fund

The American Council for Judaism, an anti-Zionist organization, announced today that it has been granted a charter for its Philanthropic Fund, the establishment of which was authorized at the annual conference of the organization last year.

The announcement was made by Harry Snellenburg, Jr., treasurer of the Fund, who said that so far only two of the Fund’s officers have been designated, the second one being Mrs. William Illch, of Washington, who has been named secretary. “It is expected that a president and vice-president will shortly be chosen, along with additional members of the Fund’s board of directors, “Mr. Snellenburg said. He emphasized that it took a year of legal preparation before the American Council for Judaism Philanthropic Fund obtained its charter.

“Among organizations whose needs and eligibility in terms of the Fund’s principles are being studies are domestic Jewish and non-Jewish charitable agencies and foreign welfare organizations including selected institutions, in Israel, and elsewhere abroad, which receive little or no governmental support, “Mr. Snellenburg declared. “Until this task is completed, it will not be possible to indicate with certainty which organizations will be approved to receive grants from the Fund.”

In the interim, however, the Fund has made a grant of $2,000 to the Bayerisches Hilfswerk, the organization which administers welfare activities for Jewish displaced persons in Camp Foehrenwald, near Munich. Late in 1954, it was announced that, even though the Fund’s charter had not yet been granted, gifts could be made to the Fund through the American Council for Judaism and the money would be held in escrow until the new corporation had been formed.

The Fund’s primary purpose, Mr. Snellenburg explained, is the relief of poverty and distress, In addition, as a secondary purpose, the Fund may receive contributions ear-marked for religious, scientific, literary or educational purposes designated by the contributor. Mr. Snellenburg indicated, however, that it was hoped this secondary purpose would constitute a relatively minor part of the Fund’s operations.

“It is anticipated that the great preponderance of monies given the Fund will be in the form of general contributions which may then be allocated to a wide variety of charitable enterprises and institutions, ” he said. ” As time goes on these will comprise an ever-growing list of beneficiaries, All contributors will be kept fully and currently advised as eligible beneficiaries are approved by the Fund’s officers and directors.

“We intend to move slowly and cautiously, but positively and in a dignified manner,” Mr. Snellenburg declared. “We know that if we go quietly about the business of collecting funds and distributing them wisely, we cannot help but be successful in achieving the constructive purposes for which the Philanthropic Fund has been created.”